Culture & World Affairs
2:00 PM | Location: Boomer A
Fiction and Politics: How Can Stories Make a Difference?
Stories have power. They distill the past and tell us how to best predict the future. Can fiction writers make a difference in today's hyperpolitical discourse? Should they feel obliged to try?
Moderator: Daniel Erickson
Panelists: Daniel Erickson, Sheila Hartney, Lyde Van Hoy, Pigeon, B J Thrower
4:00 PM | Location: Boomer B
Retrofuture: Visions of the Future from the Past
From robots that clean and tablet computers, to jetpacks and flying cars. Join the fun as our panelists discuss how the past saw the future! What did they get right, what did they get laughably wrong?
Moderator: Mel. White
Panelists: Mel. White, Mark Alfred, Tim Frayser, Sheila Hartney, Chaz Kemp, Kathleen M O'Brien
Tracks: STEM, History, Culture & World Affairs, Science Fiction, Pop Culture & Entertainment
4:00 PM | Location: Boomer A
Being Kind To Our Fellow Creatives
It’s easy to become competitive with other creatives when they get opportunities that you’d like to have. It’s frustrating. Our panel talks about how important it is to be kind to each other and to be nice to your fans no matter what.
Moderator: Peri Charlifu
Panelists: Peri Charlifu, Blair Bartlett - Alternate Realities Studio, Sally Hamilton, Rubiee Tallyn Hayes, Kim Ventrella, Mario Wytch
Tracks: Gaming, General Interest, Business & Marketing, Health & Wellness, Maker, Culture & World Affairs, Art, Writing & Publishing
11:00 AM | Location: Boomer B
Fandom Past, Present, and Future
Conventions have been happening, officially, since 1939's Worldcon. But...why? Panelists share nerdkind's lore about con traditions, the history of sf fandom, and how congoers today are defining pop-culture trends and building new media markets.
Moderator: Larry Nemecek
Panelists: Larry Nemecek, Aaron Bossig, Sara Felix, Tim Frayser, Kimber, Paula Helm Murray
Tracks: History, Pop Culture & Entertainment, Culture & World Affairs, General Interest
5:00 PM | Location: Boomer A
Popped Culture
When crunch is the norm and everyone's disposable, how does this affect pop culture and media? Examine burnout and its effects on our society. What's the spec-fic take?
Moderator: Aoi Kitsu
Panelists: Aoi Kitsu, Alice-of-Hearts, Buck Berlin, Charles Dane Clark, Rook Riley, Martha Steele
Tracks: Health & Wellness, Pop Culture & Entertainment, Culture & World Affairs, Business & Marketing
10:30 AM | Location: Embassy Hotel: Interior Courtyard - Atrium
Salon Philosophique
Open sci-fi-oriented philosophy public discussions. All are welcome. (1.5 hours)
Moderator: Dara Fogel, PhD
Panelists: Dara Fogel, PhD
Tracks: Culture & World Affairs, Meetup, General Interest, Science Fiction
11:00 AM | Location: Embassy Hotel: Suite 204 (Upstairs)
The Way of Tea (Japanese Tea Ceremony)
Presented by Oklahoma Chado, enjoy a traditional Japanese tea ceremony. Learn from hostess Kyuragi Sensei about "the way of tea" by experiencing this historic and artful cultural tradition. (30 minutes. Limit 15 participants. $20 fee.)
Moderator: Oklahoma Chado
Panelists: Oklahoma Chado
Tracks: General Interest, Culture & World Affairs, Workshop
Noon | Location: Embassy Hotel: Suite 204 (Upstairs)
The Way of Tea (Japanese Tea Ceremony)
Presented by Oklahoma Chado, enjoy a traditional Japanese tea ceremony. Learn from hostess Kyuragi Sensei about "the way of tea" by experiencing this historic and artful cultural tradition. (30 minutes. Limit 15 participants. $20 fee.)
Moderator: Oklahoma Chado
Panelists: Oklahoma Chado
Tracks: General Interest, Culture & World Affairs, Workshop
1:00 PM | Location: Embassy Hotel: Suite 204 (Upstairs)
The Way of Tea (Japanese Tea Ceremony)
Presented by Oklahoma Chado, enjoy a traditional Japanese tea ceremony. Learn from hostess Kyuragi Sensei about "the way of tea" by experiencing this historic and artful cultural tradition. (30 minutes. Limit 15 participants. $20 fee.)
Moderator: Oklahoma Chado
Panelists: Oklahoma Chado
Tracks: Culture & World Affairs, General Interest, Workshop
2:00 PM | Location: Embassy Hotel: Suite 204 (Upstairs)
The Way of Tea (Japanese Tea Ceremony)
Presented by Oklahoma Chado, enjoy a traditional Japanese tea ceremony. Learn from hostess Kyuragi Sensei about "the way of tea" by experiencing this historic and artful cultural tradition. (30 minutes. Limit 15 participants. $20 fee.)
Moderator: Oklahoma Chado
Panelists: Oklahoma Chado
Tracks: General Interest, Culture & World Affairs, Workshop
3:00 PM | Location: Embassy Hotel: Suite 204 (Upstairs)
The Way of Tea (Japanese Tea Ceremony)
Presented by Oklahoma Chado, enjoy a traditional Japanese tea ceremony. Learn from hostess Kyuragi Sensei about "the way of tea" by experiencing this historic and artful cultural tradition. (30 minutes. Limit 15 participants. $20 fee.)
Moderator: Oklahoma Chado
Panelists: Oklahoma Chado
Tracks: Culture & World Affairs, General Interest, Workshop
Noon | Location: Embassy Hotel: Bedlam 2 Boardroom
Building Better Futures
How to use Design and Foresight tools to build plausible futures for writing, games, movies, cosplay, and more. Professional futurist Tim Morgan aka Everyday Futurist guides this introductory session on future-minded thinking. (2 hours. Limit 14 participants.)
Moderator: Everyday Futurist
Panelists: Everyday Futurist
Tracks: STEM, Culture & World Affairs, Business & Marketing, General Interest, Science Fiction, Workshop
3:00 PM | Location: Sooner A
Effective Communication in Cyberspace
How you communicate can be just as important as what you are saying. This is especially true in an online setting. Our panelists discuss how to get your point across online without starting flame wars or losing friends.
Moderator: Joey “Okie Space Queen” Rodman
Panelists: Joey “Okie Space Queen” Rodman, Alice-of-Hearts, Tyrell Gephardt, Jovial Juggernaut, A. Lee Martinez, Caleb Masters
Tracks: Culture & World Affairs, Business & Marketing, Internet Life, General Interest
Noon | Location: Sooner B
Entertaining the Climate Crisis
According to the 2022 World Economic Forum's Global Risks Report, climate change is THE greatest global threat today. Speculative fiction is uniquely suited to explore these issues. From the wry satirical allegory of Don't Look Up, to Solarpunk futures, to biodiversity and ecosystem loss, natural disasters, survivalism, and what hope the future holds, how can we explore climate change in our specific media?
Moderator: Tyrell Gephardt
Panelists: Tyrell Gephardt, Tim Frayser, Brian A. Hopkins, Carolyn Kay, Caleb Masters, Selina Rosen
Tracks: Pop Culture & Entertainment, STEM, Culture & World Affairs, Film & TV, General Interest, Science Fiction, Writing & Publishing
11:00 AM | Location: Sooner A
Grab Your Tea & Slippers: Why Cozy Video Games Are Taking Over
Let’s get comfy and discuss why cozy, wholesome games are an upcoming force in the industry, share examples of our favorites, and discuss why we shouldn't hide the fact that we want kinder, gentler titles to enjoy!
Moderator: Michael Mosley
Panelists: Michael Mosley, J.H. Fleming, Lollalotus, James Simpson, Stevo the Gutter Nerd, the Lo-Fi Ky
Tracks: Gaming, Culture & World Affairs
11:00 AM | Location: Sooner B
Groupthink, Misinformation, Moral Panics, and More
Survey the behavior of those caught up in societal panics. Examples are the Red Scare, (fictional) child-abuse rings, Satanic panic and D&D, mad gassers, and such. Must a group define itself by defining and condemning an Other, even if the Other ain’t there?
Moderator: Dara Fogel, PhD
Panelists: Dara Fogel, PhD, Dr Paisley, Mark Finn, Pigeon, Joey “Okie Space Queen” Rodman, A C Smart
Tracks: Culture & World Affairs, General Interest
1:00 PM | Location: Boomer B
How the Little Dragon Got So Big in Art
Dragons in early art tended to be smaller than a horse. Today's dragons are mighty and massive. What caused dragon inflation? An open discussion about the size discrepancies of dragons in art.
Moderator: Ted Pennella
Panelists: Ted Pennella, David Carrico, Tim Chessmore, Teddy Harvia, W J Hodgson
Tracks: History, Art, Culture & World Affairs, Fantasy
1:00 PM | Location: Embassy Hotel: Interior Courtyard - Atrium
Salon Philosophique
Open sci-fi oriented philosophy public discussions. All are welcome. (1 hour)
Moderator: Dara Fogel, PhD
Panelists: Dara Fogel, PhD
Tracks: Culture & World Affairs, General Interest, Meetup, Science Fiction